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Further to my article “The origins of tensho” I came across this video recently. It shows Lee Kong Sifu demonstrating a white crane form of an unknown name. The form is the closest I’ve ever seen to the goju kata tensho.

The form is from Fujian white crane.

What is most fascinating to me is that, like tensho, it proceeds with forward steps in sanchin/sanzhan, where the “up, down, side, side” action (which some call “rokkishu” or “fishtail exercise”) is repeated - first with one hand, then with the other, then with both simultaneously.

This is the only time I have ever seen this exact sequence in a Chinese system. (You'll note from my previous article that the form bafen only performs the sequence with both hands simultaneously - never the hands individually.)

The form then goes on to various finger thrusts that might be counterparts to similar thrusts at the end of tensho, some more palm/hand movements (which have no parallel in tensho), a double handed movement at least partl…

But underlying these is a more fundamental concept - 8 basic "palms": conceptual movements that underlie the very fabric of each response to an attack.

Here is my understanding of the 8 mother palms of bagua, with a special emphasis on understanding the principles of how and when to:

move to the outside; andmove to the inside; andcross the centre line.
In the end, these sorts of fundamental issues are principles that provide a deeper insight into the art and science of civilian defence.

This is Australian-New Zealand sword-fighter Samantha Swords (at first I thought it was her real name - but it is of course just a nom de plume!).

She who won the longsword competition last year at the Harcourt Park World Invitational Jousting Tournament.

Here is a fascinating interview with Samantha. She discusses her training in Historic European Martial Arts which includes an array of traditional weapons (the longsword is only one) as well as unarmed fighting.

It's inspiring and well worth watching - especially for any of my young female readers out there.

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